This invention relates to ice cream dispensers and, more particularly, to hand-operated ice cream dispensers particularly adapted for home use.
During the manufacture of ice cream, the final step, after packaging, is a hardening step, which is accomplished by passing the packaged ice cream through freezing tunnels or refrigerated plate hardeners, or by placing it in low-temperature rooms where the temperature is maintained at about -30.degree. C. and where the air is usually circulated to facilitate heat transfer. The degree to which the ice cream is frozen, the formulation of the ice cream, and/or the amount of air that is entrapped in the ice cream during processing contribute to the hardness of the ice cream when one attempts to scoop the ice cream from the container. Attempts to soften the ice cream by permitting the ice cream to stand at room temperature, or even placing the ice cream in a microwave oven, produce mixed, and sometimes unfortunate, results. Moreover, attempting to pack such hard ice cream in cones tends to break the cone material.
This invention provides a device for softening and dispensing ice cream which is adapted for home use and which may be stored in the freezer section of a refrigerator. The device is operated by a hand crank, and dispenses the ice cream in a softened condition, including those ice creams containing fruits and nuts without damaging those ingredients.
The invention includes a container for receiving ice cream which may be initially cut into chunks by a knife rather than scooped from the ice cream container. The dispenser container has side walls and a bottom wall, and is provided with a removable cover having a dispensing spout. A piston is provided in the container and is mounted on an axially extending, threaded rod in the container. The rod is mounted for rotational movement in the container, and has one end mounted in a thrust bearing in the bottom wall. The piston, upon rotation of the rod, is axially movable along a rectilinear path from a first position adjacent the bottom wall along the side wall, and toward a second position adjacent the upper end of the side wall. An interengaging mechanism is provided between the piston and the side wall to prevent rotational movement therebetween. As the ice cream is forced toward the upper end of the container, it engages a shearing device which comprises a cutter having a rim and a multiplicity of spokes having planar shearing edges which are substantially perpendicular to the piston. The shearing mechanism includes a hub having one face defining a first non-circular recess receiving a corresponding non-circular end portion of the threaded rod. The removable cover includes a first closure member having a closure wall defining a volute channel facing the shearing mechanism and closely spaced therefrom. The volute channel has a progressively increasing cross section measured in a circular direction, with its larger cross section terminating in a circular dispensing spout. The closure wall has a central aperture therethrough, and the hub of the shearing mechanism has an axially projecting portion extending into the central aperture. The axially projecting portion of the hub has another face defining a second non-circular aperture. The closure member also includes a rotatable cover having a crank arm positioned over and closing the container, and having a non-circular axial projection received by the second non-circular aperture in the hub. Therefore, upon rotation of the crank, the piston is moved upwardly to force the ice cream into contact with the shearing device. The sheared and softened ice cream then enters the volute channel and is forced from the circular dispensing spout.
The container may be affixed to a table or kitchen counter top by a suction device so that ice cream may be conveniently dispensed therefrom into bowls or cones. Desirably, the container is constructed from a suitable plastic which offers some degree of insulation from ambient temperatures. If portions of the contents of the container are unused, however, the entire container may be placed in the freezer section of the refrigerator.